Originally Posted by
Mrgolfer21
I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is an agreement that PAL has with the PH govt or something like that. My assumption (could be completely wrong) is that PAL is booking thru tickets with this stipulation so they don't have to go through the process of verifying who can enter PH and who can't. I'd be curious if this is new (covid) so PAL didn't have to check documents to verify if they can come into PH, they just made a blanket rule and were only concerned with the final destination. After all, every country has/had different rules for entry.
Just seems odd they would restrict it other than for "covid" reasons...and seems even further mind boggling with Bob Peters example above...I'd love more info regarding flight details in that case. I'd have been on the phone with the embassy in the first hour of being put in that holding room and them taking my passport.
it was OK to leave the airport before on transit - COVID does sound a likely explanation for the new arrangement. Could it also be a tax/levy situation - more needs to be collected in you enter PHL - and PAL cant be bothered with this either.
Would be great to have more insight into what taking a person's passport means - I've certainly had my passport taken away (for a short time - 15 mins) at US Border when marked for SSSS attention.
The holding room sounds like the dreaded arrangement at LAX for NZ1 passengers flying AKL-LAX-LHR (an vv on NZ2). Entry to US was not possible, special holding arrangements were in place.